"We are preparing an anti-government demonstration in the city of Liberec on Wednesday, May 24, and in June we will gather them in other cities of the republic," Tomio told Czech news website.
The SPD chairman has asked trade unions for help in organizing demonstrations, but they were "still hesitant," he said.
Last Thursday, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala presented a package of reforms designed to curb the rising national debt and budget deficit. It includes measures to reduce government subsidies, abolish tax exemptions, and revise the VAT as well as a pension reform. Fiala expects the cut in spending to save the budget 46 billion Czech korunas ($2.1 billion).
On Monday, the leader of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, Josef Stredula, responded to the announcement by threatening to take workers on strike over income cuts planned under Fiala's reform and accusing the prime minister of lying.
The Czech news agency reported on Tuesday that a number of trade unions, including the Association of Independent Unions, the trade union of transport workers DOSIA and the union representing workers of car manufacturer Skoda Auto, expressed their willingness to join the strike.
"We can only thank the government that with its measures it has made us close ranks," Roman Durco, the head of metalworkers federation KOVO, was quoted as saying by the news agency.
More than 70% of Czechs do not believe in the success of the economic reforms proposed by the government, according to the results of a survey conducted by the Median research agency on behalf of Czech Radio. Respondents most often agree that the biggest savings would be on the upkeep of the state apparatus.